Materialist History

[JamesH]

I had started a thread some time ago asking for good materialist histories of the transition from the Roman Empire to feudalism. Now, I'm interested in broadening the question. What are everyone's favorite materialist historians and materialist works, on any subject? They do not necessarily even have to be Marxist.

The reason for asking is that I recently stumbled upon an interesting book, "The Birth of Purgatory" by Jacques Le Goff, where he traces the concept of purgatory, a middle stratum, alongside the rise of a middle class. I'd like to find some more works in this vein.

[Lucretia]

I had started a thread some time ago asking for good materialist histories of the transition from the Roman Empire to feudalism. Now, I'm interested in broadening the question. What are everyone's favorite materialist historians and materialist works, on any subject? They do not necessarily even have to be Marxist.

The reason for asking is that I recently stumbled upon an interesting book, "The Birth of Purgatory" by Jacques Le Goff, where he traces the concept of purgatory, a middle stratum, alongside the rise of a middle class. I'd like to find some more works in this vein.

GEM De Ste Croix's The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World is my favorite and in my view the best, although not written as a narrative. Other excellent materialist histories include Eric Foner's Reconstruction, Nancy MacLean's Behind the Mask of Chivalry (which is about the refounding of the KKK in the early 20th century), Chris Wickham's The Inheritance of Rome, and Leon Trotksy's History of the Russian Revolution.

[Franz Fanonipants]

Richard White's Its Your Misfortune and None of My Own will give you a solid "materialist" understanding of class, race, conquest, and Empire in the American West.

White's The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region is about what you'd expect it to be about. I recommend also checking out environmental history, starting w/William Cronon's Changes in the Land and followed by his Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West. Both create models of understanding cultural and ecological changes brought about by different understandings of private property, profit, etc.

European history is boring.